


[they embrace in camaraderie]

by chromochaotic



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Acting, Alternate Universe - Actors, Awkwardness, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-12
Updated: 2016-04-12
Packaged: 2018-06-01 21:13:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6536518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chromochaotic/pseuds/chromochaotic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hinata, a young actor nervous about his first leading role, is offered some much needed one-on-one practice by his easygoing co-star. However, he and Tanaka might be getting a little too into their characters...</p>
            </blockquote>





	[they embrace in camaraderie]

**Author's Note:**

> so in case anyone forgot, I am a nerd who started brainstorming about a tanahina actor AU (I'll put a link about it in the end notes). and then, because I'm weak for pretense and dorks trying to be chill about kissing when they're very obviously not-chill about kissing, this happened.
> 
> It's kind of like pretend-dating abbreviated to one scene!

Hinata paced the studio, chewing his lip and wringing his hands. _What was he going to do?_ They were already several weeks into their practices for _Volley!: Ultra Launch Live_ , and even though opening night was still far off, he felt like the hardest challenge in his acting career lay just hours away.

Tomorrow afternoon, the whole ensemble would be in this studio to run through the play’s big victory scene. Everyone would be waiting to see Hinata breathe life into the main character, Hanabi Shouji, and be reassured that this fresh, inexperienced actor had what to took to carry a play.

It should be simple. And yet, here Hinata was, wearing a hole in the carpet as nerves shimmied through his guts. At least he was pretty sure all the other actors from today’s practice had already left, so he could stew in his distress alo—

“Eyyy, Hinata! What are you still doing here?”

Hinata’s head whipped up, spotting none other than one of his co-stars, Tanaka, framed in the doorway.

The fact that it was Tanaka in particular was honestly pretty lucky. Anyone else would have made Hinata’s anxiety even worse, but Tanaka had been supporting Hinata in big and small ways ever since read-throughs. At first, he’d just introduced Hinata to some of the big superstitions of their theater. But later, he coached Hinata through the ups and downs of working with a large cast, easing the offstage drama so that they could all focus on the staged kind. It set something at ease in Hinata’s chest to see his most approachable senior now, and he perked as the other strolled into the studio instead of continuing on his way out.

“Oh, you know,” Hinata tried to speak evenly. “Just reciting lines again! I really, really want tomorrow’s scene to go well.”

Once he was close enough, Tanaka peered at the worn, marked up pages of Hinata’s script. “Looks like you’ve been reciting for a while, huh? Get some rest kid!” Tanaka’s laughter boomed with the solid clap of his hand on Hinata’s back.

Hinata wanted to laugh along with Tanaka’s cheer, but lingering worries weakened the sound as it passed from his lips.

Tanaka immediately switched gears when he took in Hinata’s poor humor. “Dang, you’re not just nervous about forgotten lines, are you?”

A whine escaped Hinata’s throat. “No… I just feel like, if I do this right tomorrow then everyone will finally stop worrying if I’m good enough. And, and, they’ll trust me, and everything will be great and awesome, except, I just, now I messed it up. I’ve read through this scene so many times, the meaning and all the emotions in it are starting to get, sort of,” his fingers twisted as he searched for the right word. “Hazy? I mean, um, whatever Shouji’s feeling in this scene, it’s just getting farther and farther from me.” Hinata stared down sourly. “Plus,” he suddenly looked panicked, “he’s the star of his volleyball team, and look at me! Do I look like I’ve ever played volleyball to you?”

Tanaka chuckled, gently taking the script from Hinata’s hands. “That’s why they had us learn the rules and moves at the beginning, right? And besides,” he grinned, “you sound just like Shouji already. He’s got a lot to prove to the jerks around him, too.”

Hinata studied Tanaka’s face at that, enjoying the reassuring arm thrown around his shoulders. Tanaka really was similar to the mentoring character on the team that he played, Ryou.

Unexpectedly, Tanaka jostled Hinata and spoke with eagerness. “Hey, why don’t I help you run through the part where our guys celebrate together? If you can get those lines down, I’m sure the rest will be easy!”

Hinata’s heartbeat quickened at the sudden test, but he nodded, getting roughly into position where he and Tanaka could start off the scene:
    
    
      
    
    [in the middle of center court, the team gets rambunctious, reveling in their victory]
    
    RYOU: That was amazing!
    
    SHOUJI: We won! We all worked together, and I couldn’t have done it without you!
    
    RYOU: No, Shouji, that last point was all you! You’ve learned a lot, and I’m so proud.
    
    [they embrace in camaraderie]

Once they’d run through the lines, Tanaka looked over Hinata thoughtfully. “Okay, not bad. Hmm.” Tanaka crossed his arms. “I think you just need to visualize it a little differently. Here, uh, imagine…”

Tanaka looped his arm around Hinata again, the other hand waving above them to paint a picture: “Imagine it’s like we just finished our first performance, and it was a hit! Everyone in the audience is clapping, some are sobbing, they’re throwing mountains of flowers at your feet…” Tanaka met Hinata’s gaze, preening at the small laugh he got in response.

Then, he tilted his head and spoke more seriously. “But really, try to picture it as you come out for your last bow of the night.” Tanaka leaned closer to Hinata, a hushed excitement in his voice—and for an instant, Hinata didn’t know if it was his words or the heat of his gaze that made his heart skip. “Row by row, all these people stand up from their seats, clapping for you. They’re giving you a standing ovation. The rest of us are at your back, cheering. And you really gave it your all, you know? The bright lights, the applause, your heartbeat in your throat. It’s all part of the high of a show well done. You come backstage and everyone’s still congratulating you… How would you feel then?”

Hinata felt a tingle run up his spine from thinking about it all. Tanaka must have seen that shimmer of excitement in his eyes, as he stepped back into his spot with a smirk. “All right, let’s run through this one more time, Hinata!”

“Yeah!” he called back, bouncing on his feet.

Tanaka took a centering breath. Then:

“That was _amazing_!” Ryou whooped, the cheer in his voice making it rasp. Despite the exhaustion that must have come with finishing an intense match only minutes ago, he was nothing less than a lively athlete congratulating his teammate on a match-winning play.

Shouji was glowing with victory. “We won! We won, and we all worked together, and,” Shouji bounced happily into Ryou’s space. “And I couldn’t have done it without you!”

Ryou grinned and clapped his hands on both of Shouji’s shoulders, bringing their smiling faces as close together as his excitement warranted—which, apparently, meant very close. He rested his forehead against his teammate’s, so near that he could only really see flushing cheeks and sparkling eyes. “Are you kidding, Shouji? That last point was all you! You’ve learned so much, and I’m so proud!”

Ryou broke off into a fierce grin as Shouji’s arms snaked into a hug beneath his own, and for a brief spell, he and Shouji just basked in each other. The same joyous affection reflected in both their sights.

Then—Ryou laughed and angled his head, pressing their lips together. Shouji giggled into it, as if he’d actually been expecting it from the moment they embraced.

Shouji and Ryou stayed entwined for a few blissful heartbeats… And then, Hinata and Tanaka opened their eyes, springing apart.

“U-um. Well. That, um.” Tanaka rubbed the back of his neck. “Th-that, um, was way better, I think, uh, I mean, we, ah, we probably took it a little far at the end there—”

“Yeah!” Hinata shouted, then coughed, and wrung his hands together nervously behind his back. “Yeah, they, ah, I guess they probably wouldn’t, um, k-kiss like that, haha.” Hinata looked down, the bright hair falling into his face nearly matching the flush of his cheeks.

They were both quiet in their jittery thoughts for a stretch. But after a long awkward pause, Hinata hesitantly squeaked out, “Or… maybe they would have?”

“Hm?” Tanaka’s head jerked back up, eyes wide.

“I-I mean, um,” Hinata took a slow step forward. He could still feel the full, soft warmth of Tanaka’s smiling lips against his own. “Maybe they... would kiss? Except, um. It might have gone a little differently. A little more like…” And now, Hinata was back in Tanaka’s space, gazing up with a very delicate, quivering sort of question in his eyes.

Tanaka, face still taut with shock at what was currently happening, mimicked their position prior to the kiss. He set his hands back on Hinata’s shoulders, and Hinata, taking that as a go-ahead, continued with the intimate gesture.

Except this time, instead of hugging his arms around Tanaka’s waist, Hinata carefully linked them up behind Tanaka’s neck. “Maybe…” Hinata croaked, eyes shyly meeting Tanaka’s, “Shouji might act more like this.”

And with that, he lifted up onto his toes to press a sweet kiss to slackly waiting lips. The careful, gradual speed of it gave time for Tanaka to finally process the moment. Hinata was kissing him. Hinata was kissing him, his lips were on his lips, and his hair tickled mildly against his brow. _Hinata_ was _kissing_ him. At the last second, all systems sprang back to life in Tanaka’s head as heat rushed through him; he leaned his head down so that the pressure between him and Hinata deepened gently. Exhales floated off with some of their vulnerable tension, and as the clock ticked, Tanaka didn’t even notice his hands sliding to hold Hinata more naturally.

When they actually did part, Tanaka’s cheeks were dusky pink, his eyes bright. “Um. Yeah, you know,” he rambled, drumming his fingers restlessly. Except, then he realized that his fingers were curled in Hinata’s shirt, near his shoulder and hip, and his thoughts got even more derailed. “N-now that I, uh, think about it, Ryou would probably act a little more, you know, um. A little more. Like.” He swallowed.

Hinata looked up tensely, his own confused thoughts keeping him from really reacting. It gave Tanaka little to distract himself with.

After enough stillness, Tanaka gulped again, and steeled himself. One hand tugged Hinata a tad closer right around his waist. The other raised up with caution to softly, tenderly sweep against Hinata’s temple, brushing amber locks away from his face. And then, fingers carding through his short hair and cupping the back of his head—Tanaka laid his mouth over Hinata’s. This kiss made a rippling warmth trickle through their veins, flaring without a doubt at the half-accidental brush of Tanaka’s tongue on Hinata’s lips.

Quiet sighs, the muted sound of cloth shifting, and silence drifted throughout the studio… At length, a small exhale was all that signaled an end to their embrace.

Hinata looked down sheepishly, but now his nerves were ones of tight, excited happiness.

“So, um.” Tanaka cleared his throat. His fingers fidgeted and scratched against the cloth of his jeans. “How about I walk you on out? S-since, um, I’m sure you’re about ready for tomorrow. And, um… S-say, Hinata, why don’t we grab some dinner? T-together? Not good to practice on an empty stomach for too long, right?”

Hinata smiled, grabbing his things while also trying to walk backwards toward the door. “Y-yeah, definitely! We should, um, I would, I would like that.”

When Tanaka fell into careful step beside him, Hinata leaned lightly into his side. “Thank you, Tanaka. I’m really happy about... today.”

Tanaka shot a glance his way, then let out a quiet chuckle. He ruffled Hinata’s hair as they passed out of the studio. “Yeah, yeah, kid. Me too.”

**Author's Note:**

> hope that was cute! i, like the dork sweethearts, probably went a little overboard with some of this....... but...................... ain't that just the way
> 
> here's the link to [some other headcanons i have about the actor au!](http://chromotps.tumblr.com/post/142316372157/in-honor-of-the-stageplay-how-about-a) Also, sorry if a few of these AU details seem off. It's been years since I did anything theater related!


End file.
